Chickens

1 a: the common domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) especially when young; also: its flesh used as food — compare jungle fowlb: any of various birds or their young2: a young woman3 a:cowardb: any of various contests in which the participants risk personal safety in order to see which one will give up first4 [short for chickenshit] slang: petty details5slang: a young male homosexual

INTRANSITIVE
VERB:

to lose one's nerve —usually used with out <seemed to exhibit courage, manliness, and conviction when others chickened out — J. R. Seeley